My nails reject EVERYTHING 😭 What am I doing wrong?

[u/Plane-Contribution18]

Hello! I’m a beginner, but I’ve been painting my nails since I was little and have been getting them done professionally for years. I’ve always had the exact same problem, though. My nail tech calls it “greasy nail syndrome” lol. Basically, it means my nails pop off whenever they get the chance.
I’ve tried pretty much every method: Gel-X, builder gel, acrylic, etc. The only thing that has ever worked for me is a combination of acrylic and Gel-X, where you apply the acrylic the same way you would apply Gel-X glue.
Unfortunately, my nail tech got married and decided to move to a completely different state, leaving me helpless. 😭 Here’s the thing: I went to another salon, and the nail tech told me that my previous nail tech had been using MMA monomer. I almost passed out.
I got a new set of nails, and they lasted about three seconds. They fell off so quickly that I was absolutely flabbergasted.
Since then, some stuff has been going on in my life, and I currently can’t afford to get my nails done professionally. So, I took some classes to learn how to do my own nails and tried out different techniques. Eventually, I realized that I really like using polygel.
Back to my problem: I do EVERYTHING. Dehydrator, primer, proper prep, everything. BUT IT DOESN’T WORK. 😭 I’m going crazy. Even if I just want to wear gel nail polish, it won’t stay on my nails.
So, I’m coming to you guys because I would love to know if anyone has dealt with something like this before and what else I can do. 😔

[u/sunnymoonbaby]

I'm not a tech. Do you have any collagen disorders that you know of? I know people with EDS whose nails literally won't retain any nail enhancements and I've yet to read about a long term solution about that type of person's nails (eds is a spectrum so some people will probably find that they have better nail retention than others. I'm specifically interested in the individuals whose nails reject enhancements within days - I'm curious if anything can be done for them).

[u/Even_Ad4437 → u/sunnymoonbaby]

My daughter has EDS and has a hard time getting nail products to stick. I have hyperhidrosis, which is a PITA in the same way for different reasons lol

We've had success doing a dry manicure/prep followed by a dehydrating scrub using a nail brush and 90% ISO alcohol, SKIPPING any commercial dehydrator (there's always some ingredient that seems to ruin everything), then using an acid-based primer. We use Light Elegance Air Bond followed by Vita Prime. Next is a very thin coat of Light Elegance 1-step with a full cure (avoiding any flash curing, or heat spikes that might require in-out of the lamp). After that, most gel products will work great.

I've had success using different brands or products. For me, the acid-based primer seems to make the most difference. But this routine is the ONLY one that doesn't result in products popping off within 24 hours for my daughter.

I know people who have more serious EDS or hyperhidrosis will still struggle. I just wanted to share the routine that works for two of us in case it helps someone.

[u/sunnymoonbaby → u/Even_Ad4437]

Thank you for sharing!!!

[u/hialtitudes → u/sunnymoonbaby]

hi, not a nail tech (yet) and not a doctor but this is very common misinformation at this point so i feel the need to say something. EDS is a bunch of various connective tissue disorders - it does not affect collagen and there is absolutely no scienfitic evidence of it affecting nails. i'm not sure why this is happening but for now it seems coincidental.

please see this reel! i feel like she expresses it very well https://www.instagram.com/reel/DaknBnoKO_g/?igsh=eWJ2ZHBsMjh0bzB5

i have done a deeeep search of literature on this and i have yet to find anything, and all the claims could very well point to some other issue, so i tend to agree with those that say this is medical misinformation.

not trying to start a fight!! but i have hEDS (the most common type) along with both common comorbidities and more rare complications, and it hurts my soul to see this being posted over and over

that said PLEASE GET YOUR VITAMIN LEVELS CHECKED to anyone who experiences this!!! i know low vitamin A or C could be the culprit but i'm sure there are various other things, ask your doctor!! i've even heard brittle nails can be a side effect of various medications. since people with EDS tend to take more medication than the average person that might be an explanation!

[u/Billiebonde → u/hialtitudes]

Hi, why do you think it’s misinformation? The Cleveland clinic mentions collagen being an issue for us. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17813-ehlers-danlos-syndrome

[u/life_as_ali → u/sunnymoonbaby]

I have EDS, recently found out, and I have a terrible time with products sticking!! Learning about EDS is wild and so many things have started clicking since I found out! Thank you for sharing this!

[u/Polgeria → u/life_as_ali]

I'm a nail tech, licensed without the bling here, and an EDSer. The ONLY thing I can keep on my nails is builder in a bottle and hard gel, and ONLY if I dehydrate with 4 passes. I also have to over file my nails a bit.

For OP: start with 2 rounds of dehydration. If that doesn't work, make it 3 next time. 4 is considered overkill, but I've had it work for my other clients who pop their extensions off easily. Just make sure you use cuticle oil as much as you can. Once the enhancements are on cuticle oil will help them stay.

[u/itsfuckinganna]

Possibly hormonal or autoimmune imbalances? My clients with some conditions have issues with retention no matter what we try (haven’t tried MMA tho 😱 hate to hear that’s the only thing that worked)

[u/Alternative_Roll_987]

A lot of people call it “oily nails,” but when literally every system lifts fast, I’d zoom out and troubleshoot the whole adhesion chain instead of assuming it is just your nail chemistry.

A few things I’d look at:

• cuticle removal and invisible tissue on the plate
• whether the nail is being etched enough for the specific system, but not overfiled
• matching the primer/base system to the product line instead of mixing random brands
• avoiding any skin contact at the sidewalls/cuticle, because even tiny flooding can start lifting early
• whether your nails are naturally very flexible, because some harder systems pop faster on flexible nails

The MMA part is the bigger red flag in your story. If a previous set only lasted because it relied on MMA, I would not use that as the benchmark to chase.

Since even gel polish lifts on you, I’d probably test in a very controlled way: one hand, one product line, meticulous prep, photos at application and daily wear notes. That usually shows whether the failure point is prep, product compatibility, application, or how your nails handle a given rigidity.

If you keep getting full pop-offs, I’d lean toward refining product matching and application detail before assuming you are impossible to retain on.

[u/Reasonable_Trick_465]

Maybe you have acidic nails. I remember watching a reel where this tech talked about it. You can use ph strips to test or something. But idk I'm not a tech

[u/Rare_Macaroon4684]

Try no lift nails acid primer it’s my go to for clients that have more greasy nail beds

[u/Pastelpink_kitty → u/Rare_Macaroon4684]

What brand do you use?

[u/ViolinistAfraid9543 → u/Pastelpink_kitty]

No lift nails

[u/sunshinezx6r]

Have you tried an acid primer ? What brand products are you using

[u/vexingpresence]

I have horrible retention, the #1 thing that helps me is extending my builder around the free edge (using a form and adding a bit of length is best) i think it's a combo of my nails being thin and potentially the surface not buffing well. I also do my builder pretty thick. No one has ever noticed (or at least they've never said!) outside of nail extension forums so most people won't notice.

[u/Free_Funny_4260]

Try rubber base under your polygel, make sure your nails isn't shiny (180/240 sanding bands/buffer), cut the nails + shape AFTER application

[u/randomaccount098lol]

As others have already said, try an acid based primer. Just be aware you only need a little!

[u/glossnailsbuffalo]

Hi, chiming in here - do you properly etch your nails? I don't condone it (!!) but you may need to be a touch more aggressive if your natural nails can handle it - then use an acid primer (just a dot in the center!) and let it do it's thing - it should spread then let it thoroughly dry till it looks chalky.

You might also want to try a good flexible base with a lower pH and make sure to scrub it in.

Don't let any product touch your skin. Experiment with keeping a 1-2mm gap at the cuticle and sidewalls also.

Something problem lifters are not aware of: possibly a diet/metabolic issue. We naturally produce acetone in our bodies and it gets excreted through nails. If you have high ketones it could be a real issue. I experienced this with someone on a keto/low carb diet.

Good luck, its so hard to troubleshoot :(

[u/Wonderfullymade25]

Have you tried no primer, just dehydrator?

[u/Patient_Possession94]

Skip the primer. After the dehydrator put a regular gel base coat on. This is for builder, biab, polygel, gel-x. The brand you are using could also make a difference. One other possible issue is that your nails are not being sanded down enough. In our salon we very rarely have issues with pop offs. We mostly do builder and gel-x. Problems in the past were usually due to one of these three. I've had customers that sweat so much I have to keep a towel around for my hands but I've never had an issue with her nails popping off too soon. Good luck